reggae
NEWS: The Maytals’ Toots Hibbert has died, aged 77
THERE’S sad news from the world of reggae today as it was announced that the singer and guiding light with legends Toots & The Maytals, “Toots” Hibbert, has died at the age of 77. He had, it was suspected, been suffering from the novel coronavirus. Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert was born in May Pen, Jamaica, …
News: Skip Marley Releases His Debut EP – Higher Place
Skip Marley, whose history-making global hit ‘Slow Down’ with Grammy© Award-winning artist H.E.R. reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Adult R&B chart in the spring – a first for a Jamaican-born artist – releases his hugely anticipated debut EP, ‘Higher Place’, via Tuff Gong/Island Records. The 7-track project was named Higher Place as a call to action to Skip’s generation, fans, and listeners to inspire …
TRACK: Liam Bailey – ‘White Light’: tough-edged reggae soul on Big Crown
BROOKLYN’S Big Crown, those fine curators of great groove nuggets where’er they unearth them, has just dropped a new single in the shape of “White Light” by British soul-reggae diamond Liam Bailey. It’s the second single he’s dropped for Big Crown, following last year’s deep toasting melodies on “Champion” / “Please Love Me Again” 7″; …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Listen – Heavy Roots from Junior Dread And Subatomic Sound System: Revolution 2 Freedom
Junior Dread and Subatomic Sound System have shared a new single, “Revolution 2 Freedom,” built from Subatomic’s “Shaolin Dub” riddim. Subatomic composed the tune while working on Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Super Ape Returns To Conquer, in 2017. Subatomic, a New York City based artist, built on the sounds of the legendary Upsetter and his Black …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With Fat Albert Einstein
Hey, hey, hey! Fat Albert… Einstein in the house! For today’s edition of Behind The Boards, Backseat Mafia is joined by Fat Albert Einstein, the Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and all-around sound maven. Fat Al’s catalogue is wide and deep, featuring aural enticements that range from bass heavy dub sounds to high desert, soothing ambient …
Droppin’ Knowledge: On Dre Island’s Debut Album, Now I Rise, All Praises Go To The Most High
Seven years is an eternity in popular music. Trends, styles, tastes, and popularity divide, replicate and morph at an exhausting pace and even the greatest pop artists struggle to keep up. Social media enhances the difficulty of staying atop the pop culture firmament and, before you know it, an artist who was up today, tomorrow …
Droppin’ Knowledge: New Single From Roots Reggae Singer Chezidek: Because I’m Black
Roots reggae stalwart Chezidek releases a new single, Because I’m Black, that challenges injustices perpetrated against people of color around the world, but particularly in the United States. Not to be confused with the Delroy Wilson song of a similar name, Because I’m Black finds Chezidek in pastoral settings reflecting on racism and the plight …
SEE: DUB PISTOLS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR ‘BANKROBBER’
Big-beat sonic pranksters Dub Pistols are back with a cover of The Clash classic ‘Bankrobber’. The clip was made from individual band member contributions under lockdown, using their mobile phones, the final result only coming together at the mix in an editing suite. It’s a riot of reggae-dancehall vibes, bleeps and ragga rhymes; a perfect …
See: The Hempolics release new video for Gotta Thing
Although the album ‘Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Vol. 2’ has been postponed until June 12th, British mash-up reggae group The Hempolics have released a new video for ‘Gotta Thing’, taken from it. According to GrippaLaybourne, the bands mainman and producer, Gotta Thing is “…“a fast hip-hop house track laced with classic Hempolics’ reggae flavours, the …
See: Greentea Peng releases new video for Ghost Town
Aria Wells, aka Greentea Peng, has released the first new music of the year, Ghost Town, after a hugely successful 2019. It’s a deeply personal track, and her first overtly political song, about which she says “GHOST TOWN is inspired by a Dub Judah dubplate I heard at an Iration Steppas gig. Call it gentrification, …